


when the clock strikes twelve we toast with tequila

by orphan_account



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Angst, Georgi is dramatic af, Light Angst, M/M, Mostly Fluff, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other additional characters to be added, POV Alternating, Victor is also dramatic af, Yuuri is a ballet dancer, cop!victor, phichit is a ray of sunshine, there is no slow burn they just dive right in like men, yuri is a little punk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-11-30 07:46:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11459157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Katsuki Yuuri is just an average run of the mill university student. All he had been looking for was a fun night out with a few friends on the eve of his 21st birthday, but things don't exactly go according to plan.One run-in with Officer Nikiforov later and Yuuri is sure his life is over.One run-in with Katsuki Yuuri later and Victor is sure his life will never be the same.





	1. Yuuri isn't short for Cinderella

The bar was covered in thick smog within the inner-city on the outside, and inside it was drenched in the stench of sweat dripping off bodies too close together and heady alcohol. Music blared from unseeable speakers, the sound mingling with stomping feet shaking the very ground. Yuuri's head was already pounding along with the music.

Don't get him wrong; Yuuri loved to have fun and his high tolerance for alcohol (that he gratefully inherited from his father) usually made him the life of the party. Tonight of all nights should have been a joyous occasion too, being the eve of his twenty-first birthday and all. However, during the normal business hours of Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Katsuki Yuuri was an average university student who couldn't quite recall what a social life is supposed to be. Today is Tuesday. Which means tomorrow is Wednesday. Which means Yuuri has to be awake and ready for his morning class at some ungodly hour before even the sun dares to make an appearance over the horizon. So, when Yuuri's roommate and best friend Phichit announces that they have to spend his penultimate twenty-first birthday  _when the clock strikes twelve_ and they "simply can't wait until the weekend like some kind of heathen, honestly", Yuuri can't help but worry about his impeding decline in academics for the rest of the week. 

This is how Yuuri came to be sitting at the bar alone sporting a glass of whiskey and a throbbing headache. He hadn't meant to worry ceaselessly, really he hadn't; but the stress of upcoming exams and getting in enough practice for the university Christmas program thrashed against his mind like stormy sea waves crashing into a crumbling shore. He watched from his position at the bar as Phichit shimmied and bounced his way to the center of the dance floor. They had only been there for an hour, and Yuuri had only had one proper drink (and was currently working on his second) when he noticed a commotion loud enough to be heard over the pulsating music. Two men were yelling something at each other while onlookers crowded around to get a better view of all the drama.

Then everything kind of happened in slow motion. Yuuri watched as one of the men jabbed a right hook at the other man's jaw; then all hell broke loose. The onlookers were no longer simply watching the drama but decided to become full blown participants. It all looked like some skewed B-rated Fight Club scene. Yuuri watched with wide eyes and growing sense of dread as a few bouncers made their way to the center of the calamity to try and stop the fight. A few of the more burly bartenders hopped over the counter to corral the rest of the crowd towards to doors. It took all of ten minutes for the cops to show up. The music was cut-off abruptly and bright fluorescent lights flooded the dingy bar. Thats when Yuuri's sense of dread turned into panic. _Fuck._

Yuuri stood up a little to fast and watched the world swirl and swim behind his glasses before the dance floor came back into view. He craned his neck every which way to try and find Phichit, but the boy was nowhere to be found as everyone started to pile on top of each other in their rush to get out. Yuuri could feel his heart pounding and his hands starting to shake. This was bad. This was _going to be_ bad if Yuuri didn't hurry up and find Phichit and get the hell out of there.   

Suddenly, Yuuri felt a vibration come from his jeans pocket.  _Oh,_ he thought,  _that's right you idiot you have a phone._

He pulled his phone from his pocket to read the text that had popped up just as the doors to the bar swung open and a pair of police officers walked in to join the fray. Distracted from his phone, Yuuri's eyes scanned the crowd one more time looking for Phichit before locking dead-on with one of the new officers. If Yuuri's eyes could pop out of his head he was sure they would at that very moment. It's not like Yuuri had done anything wrong; on the contrary he had been minding his own business all alone at the bar. But Yuuri was sure that if the night was already bad, it would only get worse with a run-in with the cops. Yuuri and the Officer continued their staring contest as the officer cocked his head a little to the side and his eyes slid down to the drink still in Yuuri's hand, then back up to his face. Yuuri immediately turned and slammed the drink down on the bar counter. He quickly turned to walk away in the opposite direction. Before Yuuri could even take two steps he felt a cold hand grab his arm. 

"Hey, hold on a second." a deep voice said off to his side. 

_Fuck, fuck, fuck._

He turned glacially to face his demise. The officer he'd had a stare down with just moments ago was now directly in front of him and pinning him to the spot. _What does he have superhuman speed or something?_ He noted the nameplate on the officer's uniform that read: Nikiforov. Yuuri looked from the hand still firmly gripping his forearm to the face of the man standing in front of him. If Yuuri looked anything like the hot officer that stood in front of him, he was sure he could get away with anything. But he didn't. So he did't get away with anything.

"What are you drinking?" Officer Nikiforov asked. He nodded to the drink Yuuri had left on the counter as he let go of Yuuri's arm. 

"Um...its whiskey?" Yuuri hadn't meant for it to come out like a question and his voice was shaking slightly, but his anxiety was reaching higher and higher levels by the second. He cleared his throat and squared his shoulders trying to feign confidence. All he wanted to do was get out of this godforsaken bar and go home. And if he wanted to do that, he just needed to get rid of this nosy cop first. 

"Whiskey." Officer Nikiforov eyed him suspiciously, giving Yuuri a once-over. "Yeah, let me see your ID."

Yuuri could feel the sweat beading on his forehead and rolling down his neck, dampening his t-shirt. He could feel it wasn't from the body heat that was suffocating him like the smog of the city. Yuuri was having a silent mental breakdown as he slowly pulled his wallet from his back pocket and slid out his ID card. He handed it over in trembling fingertips to the officer. Officer Nikiforov took the card and glanced from the picture to Yuuri a few times before looking at the birthdate. After a moment officer Nikiforov looked back up at Yuuri; he moved to grab his ID back but the officer swiftly stepped back keeping it just out of arms reach. The sense of dread from before settled back in, imbedding itself deep into Yuuri's ribcage. 

"You're underage." Officer Nikiforov stated matter-of-factly. 

"What?" Yuuri asked incredulously. It was all of two hours before midnight, before his actual birthday, and this cop was seriously pulling the underage card?

"You said that whiskey is yours right? And you're underage." 

Yuuri's capacity for anxiety overflowed and exploded, bursting through the thick air of the bar.

"It's ten o'clock! I'll be twenty-one in two hours! Are you seriously gonna do this?!"

Officer Nikiforov brought a finger up to his mouth and tilted his head to the side considering. Then, "Well I wouldn't be doing my job if I just let you go, now would I?" He smiled brightly at Yuuri. It took everything in Yuuri to not punch the guy in the throat. 

"Seriously. You're being serious right now." Yuuri said flatly. When Officer Nikiforov nodded his head in ascent, Yuuri heaved a heavy sigh. Yuuri didn't even want to go out in the first place, he was just indulging his friend (who was still MIA) and now this. He just wanted this night to be over with. Yuuri hung his shoulders in defeat, felt his whole body sag as he let out one more weary sigh. "Fine. Do whatever you need to officer." 

Officer Nikiforov hesitated for a moment; Yuuri could feel his eyes searching Yuuri's face. He watched as the officer regarded Yuuri's defeated demeanor, took notice of the bags that were surely present under his eyes. Yuuri dropped his head to free himself of the officer's piercing gaze. 

"Well...why don't you come outside with me for a minute." 

"...What?" Yuuri's head snapped up, confusion settling into his features as he met the cool eyes of the officer.

"Come outside." 

He grabbed Yuuri's arm once more and gently tugged on him leading him out of the entrance into the brisk, cold air of the November night. They walked over to a patrol car parked by the curb where officer Nikiforov ordered Yuuri to sit. Officer Nikiforov walked around the front of the car, opening the drivers-side door and sliding into the seat. Yuuri watched on blearily as the officer pulled out Yuuri's ID once more and began typing the information on the card into a computer resting in the passenger seat. While Officer Nikiforov worked on the computer, Yuuri rested his head between his knees and tried to take deep, calming breaths, watching as effort created little puffs of white air in the cold. Yuuri wasn't sure how much time had passed, but what seemed like Just a few seconds later, the officer was crouching down on the curb next to Yuuri offering a kind smile. He placed his hand on Yuuri's shoulder and gave a light squeeze, a gentle reassurance, as he handed over Yuuri's ID card. 

"So, since this is kind of your only offense I'll let you off with a warning." Officer Nikiforov said.

"Oh. Really, you will?" Yuuri's voice rose in pitch as he talked. He was looking at the officer with wide eyes, hope undoubtedly shimmering within his irises. 

Officer Nikiforov chuckled, a sweet melody to Yuuri's panic-striken ears. "Yeah, really."

Yuuri sucked in a deep breath then let it out slowly. "Thank you" he breathed. Tonight already felt like the longest night in Yuuri's life, although in reality only a few hours had passed since Yuuri first walked out of the warmth of his apartment. Officer Nikiforov stood up, then offered Yuuri a hand. Yuuri took the proffered hand, dizziness hitting him like a gale force wind upon standing. The hand in his tightened its grip and another hand landed on Yuuri's shoulder to steady him. 

"You okay?" Officer Nikiforov asked, concern evident in his voice. Yuuri looked up and saw that the officer had his brow furrowed and a frown had settled in on his delicate mouth. 

"Oh yeah. Just, uh, coming down off an anxiety high? I really didn't even have that much to drink officer, I promise." Yuuri eased his hand out of the officer's to raise both arms up in defense. The officer let out a hearty laugh, his smile reaching his eyes and crinkling the corners.  _Oh, what a pretty sound_. 

"Um, anyway. Thank you, Officer-"

"Victor." He was pointing at himself to indicate that yes, his name is Victor and not Officer.

"Uh, Officer Victor?" Yuuri tilted his head to the side, tasting the words on his tongue.

"Just Victor." Just Victor said firmly but kindly, offering Yuuri a dazzling smile. 

"Oh, then thanks Officer Just Victor." Yuuri responded with a wry smile of his own at the man in front of him. Victor looked back at him dumbfounded, his mouth working to say something else before giving up and snapping it shut. Well, a little teasing never hurt, especially since he was on the verge of being fined and/or arrested, but Yuuri didn't exactly want to push his luck. Yuuri laughed lightly. "Just kidding. Thank you, Victor." Victor's responding smile was warm and friendly. 

"Yuuri!" a familiar voice called out. Yuuri turned to see Phichit jogging towards him waving his hands frantically. Yuuri waved back, and when Phichit was just a step or two away, he launched his body off the ground and crashed straight into Yuuri's arms knocking him backwards. Luckily, Yuuri only stumbled and regained his balance almost immediately instead of toppling onto the solid concrete at his feet. 

"Yuuri where have you been?! Thank God you're okay! I texted you, like, a million times! Why didn't you answer-?" Phichit's mouth closed abruptly, finally taking note of the police car Yuuri was standing next to, and the accompanying officer standing right in front of them.

"Oh." Phichit untangled himself from Yuuri's arms to step in between Yuuri and Victor, creating distance to stand guard. He crossed his arms over his chest forming a protective barrier.

"Is there a problem Officer?" Phichit asked tensely.  

Victor looked amusedly from Phichit to Yuuri and back again. Phichit was a good two heads shorter than Victor, but he was obviously a force to be reckoned with; he was short in stature, but had a stern set to his eyes and a confidence in the width of his small shoulders. "Well, there was. Your friend here is underage...and I'm guessing you are too. Why don't you two just head back for the night?"

"Right!" Phichit exclaimed. He turned and grabbed Yuuri's hand. "That's what we're doing! We're going home for the night, right Yuuri? Right  _now_ Yuuri." Phichit was tugging on Yuuri's arm and dragging him past Victor and the bar and the mayhem that had spilled outward onto the sidewalk. Yuuri followed, glancing over his shoulder to look at Victor one last time. Yuuri smiled apologetically, mouthing another thank you as Phichit dragged him further and further away. Yuuri was only a few feet away when Victor called out to him again.

"Yuuri!" 

He looked back over his shoulder again to see Victor cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Happy Birthday!" 

Victor dropped his hands, a smile engulfing his whole face. Yuuri grinned wide in return nodding his head once, then turned back around to watch where he was going. This was definitely a birthday Yuuri was going to remember for a very long time.

 

***

 

"That officer was hot." 

Yuuri and Phichit had somehow made it back to their apartment without further incident. It still wasn't even technically his birthday, the clock in the stove reading  _11:43_ in neon green. Yuuri grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and made his way into the living room. He sunk down into the cushiony sofa, taking a swig of his own water before handing the second bottle to Phichit. Phichit made a face a the proffered water, pushing in away and standing up from the couch. 

After the mind blowing panicky thought of, _fuck the cops are here_ and  _fuck even more cops are here,_ Yuuri's second thought (in the deep recess of his anxiety brain) had been that Victor was the most stunning person Yuuri ever laid eyes on. He kept that to himself though and offered intstead, "Yeah?"

"Hell yeah. And he let you off 'cause you're a little hottie too." Phichit said as he made his way towards the liquor cabinet that was set up off side of the dining room table. 

Yuuri rolled his eyes. "He let me off cause I'm an upstanding citizen with and impeccable record." 

Phichit scoffed at that, finally pulling out a bottle from the cabinet he had been rummaging around in. "Yuuri. There was an all out bar fight that like ten officers showed up to, and he locked onto you? You're like small fry compared to the juiciness of cuffing some rough hooligans beating on each other." He sank back down into the couch as he spoke, producing two shot glasses and an unopened bottle of Patron Silver. "He thought you were hot Yuuri, and all that about being underage was just a way to get your info. Now he has it forever." 

"Thats...creepy." Yuuri said warily, taking another sip from his water bottle.

Phichit shrugged his shoulders at Yuuri and laughed brightly. "It's the truth." he sing-songed. 

"Anyway, what have you got there?" Yuuri swept his arm in the general direction of the tequila and shot glasses.  

"Oh! Its your birthday present! Surprise, we're doing shots!" Phichit beamed at Yuuri and he thought, not for the first time, that if the sun had a human personification, Phichit would be that human. 

"You're not getting that anywhere near me without a chaser." Yuuri crossed his arms in front of him and sank back further into the couch in an effort to put physical distance between him and the offending liquor. 

"Alright, alright," Phichit laughed, "I'll slice some limes."

"And salt!" Yuuri yelled after Phichit as he made his way into the kitchen. 

"And salt." Phichit agreed. 

He returned a few moments later with two slices of lime and a container of salt. Yuuri licked the space between his thumb and forefinger then poured salt over the wetted place. He looked up just in time to find a lime slice shoved in his face and a shot glass thrust into his hand. The contents spilled over making Yuuri's hand feel sticky. 

"Happy Birthday Yuuri!"

Yuuri laughed lightheartedly as he clinked glasses with Phichit. He licked the salt from his hand then downed the tequila in one gulp. It burned a path down his throat like molten lava. Yuuri was biting into his lime sucking on the tangy juice when he noticed Phichit recording him on his phone, his own shot glass abandoned. 

"Phichit!" Yuuri yelled exasperatedly. 

"Now onto shot number two!" Phichit pushed his untouched shot glass towards Yuuri. He gave Phichit a look before taking the shot and downing it as smoothly and swiftly as he'd done the first. Yuuri grabbed for the other lime sucking it down heartily to chase the burning sensation away. 

"No fair. Why am I the only one doing shots?" Yuuri pouted at Phichit. 

Phichit's laughter rang out from behind his phone, "Because you're the birthday boy Yuuri!" 

"The birthday boy declares that you do shots too!" Yuuri poured two more shots, coating fresh salt on his hand. Phichit put his phone down and covered his own hand in salt, and only after Yuuri carefully watched Phichit drink his glass of tequila did Yuuri take his own shot. 

The boys spent the rest of the night downing shot after shot, laughing at the stupidity of the bar fight and Yuuri nearly having a criminal record. The night was quickly turning Yuuri's birthday from the one he will never forget, to the one he will only half-remember; but a great one all the same.  


	2. Victor isn't short for Prince Charming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor recounts his tales of woe at loosing sight of his destined one true love while Georgi has to sit through it all. Chaos ensues.

"I've met the man of my dreams." Victor declared into the otherwise silent space of the patrol car he was currently driving. 

"Who?" Georgi asked distractedly. He had his eyes trained on his cell phone, stalking the Instagram of his latest girlfriend and leaving hearts and kissing emojis on literally every post. 

"I said that I've met the man of my dreams. Pay attention Georgi." Victor sighed. Victor and Georgi had been together for years. Before joining the Police Academy together, they grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same schools. Georgi had lived all of one block down from Victor's own home, so they would often find themselves traversing between the two houses. After graduating from the Academy, Victor was surprised, but not unhappy, to find that Georgi had been assigned to the same precinct. After they had been on patrol for about a year and graduated from rookie status, it seemed only natural to them that they become partners. 

"Huh...? The man of your...oh." Georgi finally tore his eyes away from his phone screen to glance up at Victor. "You mean the boy band one?"

"Yes! Well. No. I mean...I don't think he's in a boy band?" This conversation was getting nowhere; he needed to get to the meat of the matter. "Anyway, that's irrelevant now, because I found out his name and he's just as beautiful as I remember." Victor sighed dreamily, recalling his memory of big, soft eyes that looked like warm chocolate drops hidden behind askew glasses. His heart had squeezed tight at Yuuri's teasing and coy tilt to his mouth. Victor could think of one or two or many different ways to wipe that little smirk off his mouth.

Victor's reverie was broken by Georgi's wary gaze and admonishing tone.  

"Wait, you used your credentials to creep on some poor guy?" Georgi shook his head. "Even I wouldn't-"

"Before you finish that sentence, just remember how crazy you went after Anya dumped you. Because I. Remember. Everything." Georgi's mouth snapped shut immediately. Victor shuddered at the thought of Georgi spending days on end searching countless background checks on Anya's new boyfriend. 

"You met him tonight?" Georgi asked, and victor nodded his head. "So it was on a patrol call?" Victor nodded again, and Georgi sent him a look that could only be interpreted as  _what the hell were you thinking?_

"It's not like I let it compromise my work." Victor said defensively, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. 

"Well, which call was it?" Victor glanced over at his partner. Georgi was studying him cautiously, weariness already evident in his eyes at whatever Victor was about spew out. 

"Uh...that bar brawl actually." Victor said tersely. 

"What?!" Georgi sputtered. 

"Relax! It's not what you think! He wasn't involved in the fight, he just happened to be at the bar." 

"Yeah, and you just  _happened_ to get his credentials." Georgi deadpanned. Victor swallowed thickly; suddenly his throat felt very dry. It's not like Victor did anything wrong, and it's not like Yuuri committed some great offense.

"Well? Spill." Georgi said after a beat. 

"He was uh, just drinking a bit underage is all."

"A 'bit' underage? What the hell does that even mean?" Georgi raised an eyebrow at Victor. "Also, you let him off?" 

Victor swallowed again. "Well it was his only offense and he was only drinking two hours underage. Besides, it's not like we don't give people breaks every now and then." Victor huffed. 

"Yeah, I guess your right...wait." Georgi turned fully in his seat to look at Victor incredulously. "Two hours?! TWO HOURS?! You're telling me that guy would have been of legal drinking age in two hours, and you were going to book him for it?!" 

Victor just shrugged his shoulder. 

Georgi heaved his trademark earth-shattering sigh out into the stale air of the patrol car. "Victor. Just how desperate are you?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

"God help his poor soul." It sounded more like a prayer than a statement. 

"Thanks." Victor said flatly. 

"I was talking about the other guy." Georgi retorted.

Victor simply rolled his eyes. The car grew silent for a moment, so of course Victor's thoughts turned back to Yuuri. He could feel a goofy smile slowly take claim over his face. 

"You wanna hear more about him?" Victor asked into what could have been an empty car for all, Georgi's presence being easily admissible in Victor's dreamlike state. 

"No." 

"Yeah you do." Victor launched into an exuberant re-telling of the first night he laid eyes on the Man of his Dreams, not leaving out even one single juicy detail. 

Georgi's sigh was enough to crumble the earth's crust, revealing molten lava underneath. 

 

***

 

_One week earlier_

 

The glass in his hand was dripping with perspiration, the ice cubes already melted and mingling with the bitter liquor inside. He looked at the crowd in front of him with disinterest. If he were being honest with himself, it wasn't just the current people milling around him that he found uninteresting; his whole life had become monochrome, all vibrant colors washed and faded out into monotony. He had become dissatisfied with everything around, spending his days working constantly and going home to sleep off the day's built up exhaustion just to turn around and do it again the next day. He found nothing motivating, nothing worthy of spending any time on. If he were being truly honest with himself, he had been searching for something worthwhile for a long time. 

Something worthwhile just caught his attention. 

Across the bar on the dance floor was the most beautiful person Victor had ever laid eyes upon. The speakers were pouring out some throwback pop song onto; the most beautiful man alive was dancing along to it in what looked like coordinated steps with the boy next to him and singing his heart out. He looked ethereal, sweat building on his exposed arms and forehead twinkling under the bright string lights hanging from the ceiling. The song ended and rolled into another and the boy kept dancing, seamlessly transitioning his body movements to the new beat. Victor was enraptured, not able to tear his eyes away. As if somehow being able to read his thoughts, the boy look up just then and locked eyes with Victor. He placed his hands on his neck and began to slowly move his hands downward slowly finally coming to rest on his hips and he swayed to the music, his eyes burning holes into Victor's. Mouth completely dry, Victor took a drained of his watered down drink to swallow past the huge lump that had taken root in his throat. 

As the song was fading out the boy was being dragged away by an unseen hand. Victor's eyes followed the boy until he was lost in the sea of people. He raised his glass to his lips again to try and get rid of his persistent dry mouth only realize it was empty. Just as Victor was flagging down the bartender he felt a cool, sweat-slick hand on his arm.

"What are you drinking?" a warm voice said too-close to his ear. It smelled sickly-sweet like pineapples mixed in with too strong vodka. 

Victor turned his head only to be met with the eyes of the boy he was just recently admiring. He looked even more beautiful up close; his hair had been pushed back to show off long, dark eyelashes surrounding big eyes and a pretty pink mouth. 

"Whiskey." He was grateful to hear that voice came out clear, and not shaky like he felt. 

The pretty boy flagged down the bartender successfully and ordered their drinks. "Two whiskey's on the rocks please." 

"Thanks." Victor smiled at the boy. "What's your name?" 

"Yuuri. What's yours?" Victor noticed in the back of his mind that Yuuri's words were slightly slurred, but otherwise coherent. He wondered vaguely just how many drinks Yuuri has already had tonight, but pushed the thought aside to focus on the boy in front of him. 

"I'm Victor." He put his hand out for Yuuri to take. He did and gave it one firm shake before moving into the seat next to Victor and sliding closer. 

"I, uh, enjoyed your performance." Victor said, laughing a bit. 

"Did you?" Yuuri's mouth slid into a crooked smile that looked sinfully delicious. "I saw you watching." 

"Yeah I was. And yeah, I liked it a lot." 

Yuuri hummed, moving away as their drinks were placed in front of them. He asked the bartender to close his tab then turned back to Victor. 

"Are you leaving soon?" 

"Hm? Oh. Yeah. Can't be too hungover, I've got an exam to study for." Yuuri chuckled a bit, sounding like the tinkling of champagne glasses to Victor's clouded mind and fuzzy ears. He was so far gone already. 

"Are you a student?" Victor asked raising his eyebrows. They were currently located in what the locals called College Town, but there was a nearby high school so Victor couldn't be too sure what kind of student Yuuri was. Although, Yuuri did look old enough but these days it seemed it was getting harder to tell. In Victor's pretty boy daze, he cursed his cop mind. 

"Yeah. I'm a dance major, in case that wasn't obvious." Yuuri said with a laugh. 

Victor breathed a sigh of relief. "That's awesome. You're a very talented dancer by the way." Victor flashed a coy smile, Yuuri's eyes tracking the movement. He moved closer and Victors breathing increased in speed. 

"You're really hot." Yuuri said, a hiccup separating his words.

Victor laughed. "Yeah?' Yuuri nodded emphatically. Victor leaned in closer as well, their faces now only a breath away.

"So are you." he said, dropping his voice low. Victor watched as Yuuri swallowed. Yuuri leaned back abruptly and downed his drink before sliding his phone out of his pocket. He checked the screen and Victor noticed an unread message. Yuuri unlocked the phone, his eyes scanning the message then cursing under his breath. 

"Gotta go?" Victor guessed. 

Yuuri looked up apologetically. "Yeah I do." He lifted one shoulder in a shrug then let it drop. He stood up from his stool and took a step back. Victor cursed the growing distance between them. 

Then he took Victor by surprise. He was looking at Victor, his head tilted to the side as if considering something. Then, Yuuri took a step forward and placed a hand on Victor's cheek. Victor went completely still, his breath hitched. Yuuri's thumb brushed under Victor's eye once, twice before Yuuri took one more step forward and pressed his lips to Victor's ears. 

"Cheer up. You look so sad." he whispered, breath tickling the hair at the base of Victor's neck making him shiver. Yuuri leaned back and let his hand drop from Victor's cheek. He smiled warmly before turning to walk away. Yuuri had only taken a few steps before he turned back around again. 

"Have a good night Victor." he called, raising a hand to wave. Numbly Victor raised waved his own hand. Yuuri smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling. Then, he turned and walked away to be lost in the crowd. 

Absentmindedly, Victor realized he was holding his breath. He sucked in a rush of the too-warm, stale air of the bar letting his lungs fill up and expand before letting it all go again in a whoosh. He watched spot where Yuuri had disappeared from mere moments ago wondering, _w_ _hat the hell just happened?_ He finished his drink in hand and closed his tab. Victor walked home in a daze, his thoughts never straying far from the pretty boy at the bar, Yuuri. 

 

***

 

_A few hours ago_

 

 

They were at a convenience store, Georgi getting two coffees for a pick me up to get them through the long night. When the Captain announced that they were short staffed for night patrols, Victor had signed them up for a few shifts but two shifts in and he was already seriously regretting his decision. He had learned that people saved their craziest antics and tom foolery for when the sky was dyed black with ink. Frankly, he was exhausted; it was the kind of tired that seeped into the bones, making a home in the tiniest of crevices. They still had to get through three more night shifts before going back to their regular day schedule. In the quiet of the patrol car, the radio crackled to life announcing assistance needed at a local bar. If Georgi hurried his ass up they could get there in just a few short minutes. Victor picked up the receiver to let dispatch know they were close and would be heading over; he listened on as two others chimed in as well that they would assist. Just as Victor was about to go into the convenience store to drag Georgi out, he saw him walking out the automatic sliding doors with two steaming cups of coffee in hand. 

"We got a call." Victor said as soon as Georgi opened the passenger door and slid into his seat. 

"What is it?" He placed Victor's cup in the holder in-between the seats while tentatively taking a sip of his own. 

"Denny's Bar. Looks like a fight broke out." 

"Oh good, a little action will wake us up." Georgi chirped. 

Victor huffed grumbling incoherently about wishing he had never signed them up for these shifts in the first place. Georgi ignored him, which only fueled Victor's complaining. Victor was tired; he didn't need any action, he needed bed. 

They arrived at the scene last, three other patrol cars already parked on the street in front of the bar. It looked like most of the people that were in the bar had made their way outside. Two officers had set a perimeter around the entrance keeping the crowd on the sidewalk at bay, and preventing any onlookers from going inside or getting to close to the bar. Victor pushed through the front doors with Georgi next to him, the warm air of the bar hitting him in the face like a wall. He glanced around to get an idea of the situation. He found four more officers towards the back; two were questioning one man while the other two were hauling another man away who was screaming waving his arms wildly. Georgi off immediately to help the two officers with the yelling man. Victor was just about to begin corralling the remaining numerous patrons out of the bar when his eyes landed on a pair of large eyes hidden behind a frame of glasses. Vaguely, Victor registered that they were staring at each other, but he couldn't help himself. The boy that the eyes belonged to looked different, his bangs falling in front of his eyes and he seemed to be much more sober than last time, but there was no denying that this was the pretty boy from the bar, Yuuri. He watched as Yuuri gulped, his eyes growing even wider. Victor slid his gaze down to the glass in Yuuri's hand. That's when Yuuri spun around and slammed the glass in hand down on the bar counter. Victor found that...suspicious. Yuuri immediately turned to leave in the opposite direction. 

Victor moved quickly on his feet, decreasing the distance between them at a rapid rate. Yuuri didn't get very far before Victor reached a hand out, grabbing Yuuri by the forearm to halt his movement. 

"Hey, hold on a second." Victor said. 

Yuuri turned around ever-so-slowly, panic clearly etched into his features. He watched as Yuuri's eyes moved down to the nameplate under his left collar. He watched as the panic remained in Yuuri's eyes and not recognition like Victor realized he was hoping. Victor had known that Yuuri had already been drinking when they last met, but Yuuri's behavior was evidence enough now at just how drunk he'd been during their encounter. Yuuri's eyes then traveled from Victor's hand on his arm, a flash of emotion crossing his face too fast for Victor to identify, before meeting Victor's eyes again.

"What are you drinking?" Victor heard his own voice come out sternly, a stark contrast to the sultry way Yuuri had initially asked that same question. He let go of Yuuri's arm but stood firmly in front of him so as to block him from getting away. 

"Um...it's whiskey?" He saw Yuuri visibly wince at his own shaky words as they came out in the form of a question. Yuuri cleared his throat, rolling his shoulders increasing their width. 

"Whiskey." To himself, Victor sounded bitter. How was this conversation so similar, and yet so vastly different from before? Clearly Yuuri didn't remember him, and Victor cursed at the thought that this would be his first impression when Victor's had been so otherworldly. He eyed Yuuri; he  _did_ say he was a university student, and there were plenty of college kids old enough to drink so why was Yuuri acting so suspicious? For a second time that night, Victor cursed his cop mind. Victor hoped against all hope that Yuuri was just a naturally jumpy guy as he asked to see his ID. 

Victor reached for the ID card in Yuuri's hand, their fingers brushing, and Victor noticed Yuuri's hand was trembling. Victor glanced between real Yuuri and pictured Yuuri before moving to the birthdate. A sense of defeat and dread had nestled into Victor's head as he read the date one, two, three times. It was only one day, but Victor knew for a fact that this wasn't the first time Yuuri had been out drinking underage; even if Yuuri didn't know that Victor knew. For a third time that night, Victor cursed being a cop. 

"Your underage." 

Yuuri's cheeks blossomed a beautiful red as his eyes grew impossibly larger.

"What?!"

Later Victor could find Yuuri's reaction comical, since he was seemingly busting him for being a few hours shy of legal. But right now Victor was on the clock, and this was technically work. 

"You said that whiskey is yours right? And you're underage." 

Yuuri burst. 

"It's ten o'clock! I'll be twenty-one in two hours! Are you seriously gonna do this?!"

In retrospect, Victor's next idea might not have been the best one he ever had but he nonetheless decided to tease. Victor titled his head to the side considering, a finger coming to rest on his lips.

"Well, I wouldn't be doing my job if I just let you go, now would I?" He let a bright smile morph over his face. Victor and Georgi (but really Victor more specifically) were known within the precinct to give out the most breaks to budding criminals with minor offenses that wouldn't really make a big difference in the long run. Victor then had an actual brilliant idea that he would applaud himself for later; seeing as Yuuri had no clue about Victor's knowledge of the boy's drinking habits, and this was the smallest of offenses, Victor could easily get away with giving Yuuri a simple warning. 

A flash of anger crossed Yuuri's face. "Seriously. You're being serious right now." he deadpanned. Victor decided to keep the game going and nodded his head. 

Victor did not expect what happened next. 

Yuuri heaved a sigh that could rival Georgi's most dramatically fake ones, then, "Fine. Do whatever you need to officer."

Victor hesitated taking the time to look at Yuuri, really  _look_ at him. He looked as tired as Victor felt, with sagging shoulders and dark circles under his eyes visible even in the dim light of the grungy bar. Victor ruefully realized that perhaps he had taken his teasing a bit to far. 

"Well...why don't you come outside with me for a minute."

"What?" Yuuri's head snapped up with enough force to give himself whiplash. 

"Come outside." Victor reached out and grabbed Yuuri's arm once again, tugging gently to lead them both out into the fresh, cool air. Once he reached the area of the curb his patrol car was parked next to, Victor steered Yuuri to sit on the curb. He walked around the car, sitting down inside to run Yuuri's ID through the system. It was a formality really, but he was still a cop after all. A moment later, Victor exited the car and crouched down next to Yuuri. He had placed his head between his knees, tiny clouds forming with each puff of breath Yuuri blew out. Victor reached out a hand placing in on Yuuri's shoulder in an effort to comfort him and handed back his ID card.

Victor smiled to reassure Yuuri, informing that he'd just be getting a warning tonight.  

"Oh." Yuuri's breath hitched, his eyes shining in the moonless night. "Really, you will?" 

"Yeah, really." Victor laughed, the feeling warming his core as he was surround by cold air. 

"Thank you." Yuuri breathed. Victor registered the breathy sound of Yuuri's voice in his memory bank; he knew it was obviously because Yuuri was feeling immensely relieved, but Victor couldn't help but regard the sound as a wondrous symphony coming from this beautiful boy.

Victor stood, offering a hand to Yuuri. He grabbed Victor's outstretched hand rising to his feet before promptly stumbling forward. Victor reached out a his free hand firmly taking hold of Yuuri's shoulder while tightening his grip on the hand held in his own. 

"You okay?" Victor's brown furrowed. Yuuri seemed very much sober, so maybe he wasn't feeling well? Was he sick? Oh God, had Victor just made Yuuri's life a living hell when he wasn't even feeling good?

"Yeah. Just, uh, coming down off an anxiety high? I really didn't even have that much to drink officer, I promise." Yuuri's last sentence came out in a rush and he slid his hand out of Victors, raising his arms in defense. 

Victor was so relieved that Yuuri wasn't sick that he laughed. He laughed a genuine true laugh and it felt good, it felt oh so good. He was so far gone.

Yuuri drooped his head, looking away sheepishly. "Um, anyway. Thank you, Officer-"

Victor interrupted him. He was going to make sure Yuuri remembered his name this time. 

"Uh, Officer Victor?" Yuuri titled his head, an adorable expression falling over his features and oh lord,  _he was so far gone._

"Just Victor." He offered up his award-winning, face of the 79th precinct on the official website, front page of the local newsletter as the district heartthrob policeman, dazzling smile. 

"Oh, then thanks Officer Just Victor." Yuuri said, the corners of his mouth turning upwards in a wry smile. Yuuri could turn out to be a mastermind criminal, stabbing Victor in his rapidly beating heart killing him instantly and Victor would die a happy man if he got to do so with the image of that smile burned into his retinas. If Victor had died then, he wouldn't get to hear the sound of Yuuri's divine laughter. "Just kidding" 

Now. Now would be a perfect time to die instantly (if Victor got to chose that is).

 But, woe, Victor must live on so that he could figure out the beguiling mystery that was this pretty boy, Yuuri. 

A loud voice cut through Victor's musings then. 

"Yuuri!" 

A short boy came barreling through the remaining crowd surrounding them, thoroughly launching himself like a rocket ship taking off and landing firmly in Yuuri's arms. The boy then began to question Yuuri in rapid fire succession before suddenly noticing Victor. Obviously noticing that Victor was a cop, and that Yuuri (and most likely this boy) were underage. He stepped in between Yuuri and Victor increasing the distance between them, and Victor shivered at the loss in proximity, suddenly able to feel just how cold it was outside. 

"Is there a problem Officer?"

Victor bit his tongue hard to keep from smiling or laughing, even though he desperately wanted to do both. The boy was much shorter than Victor, his small stature emphasized even more with Yuuri standing behind him who was shorter than Victor but still taller than the boy separating them. Yet, the there was confidence in the set of the boy's shoulders, his gaze fierce as he stared Victor down in an effort to protect his friend. He admired Yuuri's friend immediately. 

"Well, there was. Your friend is underage." The friend's face looked young, even more so than Yuuri's. "And I'm guessing you are too. Why don't you two just head back." 

Yuuri's friend agreed vigorously, taking Yuuri's hand in his and promptly dragging him away. Yuuri's feet followed automatically, but he turned to look at Victor over his shoulder to offer Victor one last smile. Victor eyes travelled down to Yuuri's mouth as he silently said 'thank you'. Victor could think of one or two or about a hundred different ways he wanted to make Yuuri say thank you with that pretty mouth. His thoughts were interrupted however as Yuuri turned back around to walk alongside his friend who was still pulling him farther and farther away. 

Before Yuuri could get too far, he impulsively cupped his hands around his mouth so that his voice would carry as he called out to Yuuri. When Yuuri turned back around again he yelled, "Happy Birthday!" 

Victor's cheeks were hot and growing numb from the goofy grin that had spread across his face. 

Yuuri grinned back, then turned back around and disappeared into the night. 

Victor stood there for a few minutes, breathing in icy air to cool his burning blood and clear his racing thoughts. He forced his feet to move towards the bar. He had to find Georgi to tell him what just happened. He'd called Georgi immediately after meeting Yuuri last week at two in the morning. Victor was positive Georgi would want an update on his love escapades. He crossed the threshold to the bar just as two other officers were leaving, a brusque man being led away in handcuffs. Only then did reality set in, Victor finally remembering why he was at the bar in the first place. He looked around the near empty bar spotting Georgi just as he was walking towards him. 

"Looks like they've got everything covered." Georgi jabbed a thumb to the officers behind him who were still questioning the same man as when they arrived. 

"Them too." Victor said, pointing his own thumb over his shoulder towards the officers who were now lowering the handcuffed man into the back of their patrol car. Georgi followed Victor's hand taking note of the scene and sighed.  

"Let's go then." Georgi shook his head as they made their way back to the patrol car. "Damn. We got here too late."

"Don't look at me, you're the one who took forever getting coffee." Victor said raising his arms in defense. 

Georgi heaved another sigh as they reached the car and got in. Victor started up the engine immediately cranking up the heat. He pulled away from the car and drove away aimlessly, heading nowhere in particular. Georgi had already pulled out his phone to check up on his girlfriend. Victor's skin was crawling with unsaid words; they were just under the surface scratching to get out, clawing at his throat and tickling his tongue. 

He lasted all of five minutes. 

"I've met the man of my dreams." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that first chapter was a lil messy haha. I kinda wrote it in a rush just to get the words out. I haven't written anything in a while and I was just excited to tell this story.  
> Anyway, I took my time making this chapter. While writing the club scene I listened to Kesha's Cannibal album. The song I was specifically thinking of when Victor first notices Yuuri dancing was Blow, while the second song is Sleazy.  
> This chapter wasn't proofread cause I'm tired so uh, yeah. I'll go back later to re-read it and edit out any mistakes.  
> I won't be able to update this story for a few days, but I'm gonna try and stay consistent and update at least once a week.  
> Again, please let me know how the story is! I live for feedback and attention!


	3. Phichit isn't short for Fairy Godmother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phichit is the best (read worst) roommate and Yuuri has a little run in with a Hot Cop.

Pouding. Someone was pounding on Yuuri's head. Probably with their fists, or maybe they were kicking him with steel toe boots. 

A hangover. Yuuri had a hangover. Streaks of sunlight were creeping into the small room through a crack in the curtains laying siege unto Yuuri's eyes. Yuuri groaned, peeking open an eye to glance at the clock on his bedside table. He could sleep in for about another fifteen minutes before he absolutely  _had_ to get up, or if he were to get ready now, Yuuri could grab breakfast on the way to class. After weighing his options for 0.2 seconds, Yuuri decided sleep was the better option. That is until his stomach wholeheartedly protested and demanded food. With another groan Yuuri forced his body into a sitting position, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

Yuuri could barely remember anything from last night. In fact, the only thing his brain could concentrate on past the intense pain was a handsome man in a cop uniform.  _Ah, yes,_ Yuuri thought,  _the hot cop._ What happened after Phichit had dragged Yuuri home, well he could only imagine the worst case scenario; of course there were only so many shenanigans they could get up to within the confines of their own home, but Phichit had a way to create trouble wherever his little body traveled. WithY a sigh, Yuuri made his way into the shared bathroom, promptly digging through the medicine cabinet to retrieve the sacred bottle of ibuprofen.  _Bless the inventor of ibuprofen._ The minty fresh taste of Yuuri's toothpaste helped to wake him up more, and after dressing in an old sweatshirt and worn out jeans Yuuri stepped out into crisp autumn air. The sun had nearly cleared the horizon as Yuuri stepped onto the sidewalk, making his way towards campus. The walk from Yuuri's apartment to the University was short, one he usually enjoyed. Pine trees surrounded the sidewalk on either side, their leaves now an array of bright golds and deep reds. The cold air helped to soothe Yuuri's aching head, although it did nothing for his lost memory. 

One of the benefits to having early morning classes was that few others also dare to wake up before the sun itself. Yuuri relished in the routine of gruffly traversing to class with only a handful of other students among the otherwise boisterous campus. He could walk in peace, his mind blissfully blank in the early morning. 

Which is why today was horrifyingly unusual.

"Happy birthday man!" A guy Yuuri did not recognize said brightly as their paths crossed. Yuuri's head snapped up bewildered, his brain wracking to place a name to the unfamiliar face. 

"Uh, thanks?" 

That happened about ten more times during the short span of time it took Yuuri to walk to his first class of the day. All from unknown faces and unheard of voices. Anxiety weaved its slick tendrils around Yuuri's gut, tightening its hold with each new person wishing him a happy birthday. He did not know these people. He did not  _want_ to know these people. Yuuri had exactly one (1) friend and he was quite happy with that fact, thank you very much. 

_Oh no._

Yuuri's one (1) friend had a penchant for social media. If Phichit had been dubbed most likely to become the King of Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube simultaneously for his high school superlatives, Yuuri would not be surprised in the least. In his hangover daze, Yuuri had not checked his phone before leaving the apartment. As Yuuri was nearing the classroom to his first lecture of the day, he slid the familiar device out of his front pocket.  _Which on was Phichit most likely to post to first?_ Yuuri settled on YouTube being the most likely candidate. He opened the app on his phone, Phichit's profile loading agonizingly slow. 

Pounding. There was a pounding in Yuuri's chest now, his heart fighting for the Championship Title over Yuuri's ribcage. There at the top of the now loaded page, with more than 150,000 views was a video. 

**@YUURI'S BOOTY: SWISH SWISH BISH ANOTHER ONE IN THE CASKET**

Groaning at the embarrassing title, Yuuri clicked on the video with trembling fingers. If the video didn't load quickly, Yuuri's anxiety ridden heart was sure to stop at any moment killing him on the spot. That might have actually been the better option than to endure whatever nonsense Phichit had decided to upload. Regretfully though, the video loaded at last, cursing Yuuri to an extended existence. 

He was standing in the middle of the living room in between the couch and the coffee table. With only a white t-shirt and black boxer briefs on, Yuuri danced seductively for an invisible audience to the singing of Katy Perry. Yuuri watched himself climb onto the coffee table, using the slippery surface of waxed wood to pirouette once, then turned and arched his back so as to grab his left foot from behind. Phicht whooped from behind the screen as Yuuri dropped his foot to leap off the table only to continue his seduction. 

Yuuri leaned his back against a nearby wall, sinking to the ground as the video continue on and on. He wanted desperately for the ground to swallow him up whole, descending him into oblivion. 

Of course what happened instead was more of his classmates, who normally (and gratefully) ignored him, greeting him with cheerful wishes of happy birthday. A few even mentioned the video _that was still playing_ , complementing Yuuri's dance moves. Panicked and paranoid, Yuuri's ears swore they heart snickering. If he had been more calm, if he his brain hadn't been shattered into a million pieces by his hangover and persistent low self-esteem, Yuuri would have heard that it was light hearted laughter. But anxiety's tendrils had crept up his torso, threatening to clasp over his throat. 

The video finally ( _finally)_ finished playing. He took a deep breath and moved onto the next app: Instagram. Really now, Yuuri was only feeding into anxiety's grubby little hands. Yuuri let out the breath he had been holding at the sight of his feed. There were about twenty posts from last night, Phichit and Yuuri's faces ranging from tipsy to blitz as the night progressed. Thankfully though, there were no more dancing videos. Yuuri locked his phone and slid it back into his pocket, using his now free hands to cover his face. He was still sat on the floor and the flow of students going into the classroom had stopped alerting Yuuri that if he stayed outside any longer, he would be late. 

Taking another deep breath Yuuri dropped his hands and stood up. His legs felt as if they were weighed down with lead bones as he crossed the hallway to enter to classroom. Upon crossing the threshold the entire student body  _including the professor_ stood, clapping and cheering. Yuuri turned his head to confirm that, yes, they were directing their attention towards him. He bared his teeth in what Yuuri hoped was a smile. Ducking his head, Yuuri climbed the stairs leading to the top back row of seats. 

"Alright people, settle down," the Professor announced. "Oh, and Happy Birthday Yuuri. Hope that killer hangover doesn't affect your concentration today." 

Yuuri nodded curtly, gulping down the lump that had formed in his throat. He pulled out his phone once again to type out a brief message to his former best friend. 

**[Sent to ChulaDONT]: You're dead. I'm breaking up with you.**

 

***

 

  
"Yuuuuuuuuri."

Phichit was pouting wearing the most soulful puppy eyes he could muster.  _Shit._ Yuuri was weak to puppy eyes, a fact that Phichit knew just like he knew every line to his favorite movie The King and the Dancer. Yuuri sighed not wanted to give into Phichit's whining. 

"Come on," Phichit said now. He batted his lashes at Yuuri, his hands clasping together to form a physical plea. "You are such a good dancer, I just wanted to share it with everyone."

"Phichit!" Yuuri shot his (former) best friend a threatening look. "You're not even sorry! That's not an apology!"

"But Yuuri! It's the truth, even if you want to live in denial," Phichit said, nodding his head in approval with his own thoughts. 

Yuuri groaned in response. Truthfully, Yuuri could admit that he was an okay dancer. The problem was the  _way_ Yuuri danced in the video, with inviting hips and sultry eyes; and the fact that another video just like it from last spring's end of the semester party existed. Yuuri had high enough expectations for his dancing himself. He didn't need other people's misconceptions adding weight to burden upon his shouders. If Yuuri was to be remembered for his dancing, he preferred it to be the professional ballet he was currently perfecting in University and not whatever it was being portray in those videos. 

"Phichit," Yuuri said flatly. 

"Fine," Phichit said, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat. "I'm really sorry I posted the video with out permission. Please forgive me?" 

Yuuri eyed Phichit before sighing. "Fine." 

Phichit brightened up throwing a wide smile towards Yuuri. "Great, because I have a favor to ask!"

Yuuri rolled his eyes. "You know, you are really lucky you're my best friend."

"I know!" Phichit laughed throwing his arms around Yuuri sideways as they walked to the studio together. The action made Yuuri sway to side, bumping shoulders with a passing student. Yuuri threw an apology over his shoulder before straightening their bodies with Phichit's arms slung around Yuuri's torso. 

"So what's the favor?" 

"Can you cover my afternoon shift for me?" Phichit looked up at Yuuri from under his lashes, playing up his pretty-boy charms.  _Shit._ Yuuri was weak to Phichit's pretty-boy charms, a fact Phichit knew just like he knew how weak he was to puppy eyes. 

"Yeah, I'll cover it for you." Yuuri reached over to ruffle Phichit's silky hair. Phichit leaned his head out of reach giggling. His arms were still wrapped around Yuuri's front and Phichit tightened them in a death grip (Phichit's form of a hug). 

"Thank you!" 

"Where do you store all that strength in that little body?" Yuuri wheezed.

Phichit threw back his head in laughter as they continued down the path to the studio, finally dropping his arms to properly walk beside Yuuri. The walk from the main campus to the south side where the studio was located was Yuuri's second favorite part of the day. Bushes adorned each side of the sidewalk, although the flowers buds that grew on the bushes during the spring and summer were long dormant in the November frost. Fairy lights were strung up in the trees that were scattered in the yard along the way. It was peaceful and magical; Yuuri could let his imagination run wild during the time he spent walking, thinking up stories to accompany whatever program he was currently working on.

Yuuri's most favorite part of the day however, was the time spent in the studio itself. He could immerse himself in his dancing, perfecting his technique with Madame Baranovskaya and creating tales of emotion with Minako Sensei. While Yuuri was in the studio his mind was blissfully empty. Anxiety was strictly forbidden entry into the sacred ground of the studio. It was one of the only places Yuuri felt truly at peace. 

Today he would be denied any extra peace though since he agreed to take Phichit's shift at the cafe they both worked at. He would have to leave as soon as his practice session was over in order to get ready for work and arrive on time. With that thought in mind, Yuuri took a deep breath as he and Phichit entered the studio, steeling his mind to fierce determination. He would not waste a single second of his treasured time at the studio. Yuuri split apart from Phichit heading towards Minako Sensei's room. The University held a performance of the Nutcracker every year for Christmas before the break that was open to the public. Everyone had been practicing for the recital the past two months, but since they only had two more weeks of rehearsal to go the class was given two days a week to work on their spring solos. The entirety of spring semester was dedicating to creating an original idea and choreographing a performance based on that idea. 

Yuuri had no ideas about anything, ever. His brain was composed of about seventy percent anxiety leaving only just enough room for everything else including dance. Thus, he was scheduled to meet with Minako Sensei first. 

"Happy Birthday Yuuri!" 

A thin body collided with Yuuri's, slender arms wrapping around his neck. Yuuri leaned into the warmth crossing his own arms around the body in front of him. 

"Thank you, Sensei." 

"Bah!" Minako leaned away to swat at Yuuri's arm. "I told you not to call me that. It makes me seem old." 

Well. Yuuri knew better than to respond to that statement. In actuality Minako Sensei went to high school and university with Yuuri's mother, and Minako was her senior at both institutions. So instead, Yuuri smiled warmly at Minako and walked over to the large windows located at the back of the room to put his gym bag down.

"Anyway, we should get started." Yuuri sat down in the center of the room to stretch.

"You're no fun," Minako pouted. Then a mischievous smile stretched across her lips. "Well, I supposed you had enough fun last night," she teased. 

Yuuri groaned. 

**[To ChulaDONT]: We may be back together and you're forgiven but just know I am plotting your murder.**

 

***

 

Fat raindrops caressed the window panes, racing and colliding with each other on their way across the glass. Yuuri sighed, leaning against the bar counter of the cafe chin in palm. Celestino's was the main cafe everyone went to that wasn't on campus. It was located twenty minutes away on the cusp of University Town and the City. Yuuri had just made it through the French doors to the cafe when the clouds opened up and the streets below were thoroughly drenched. Now, Yuuri looked out the windows in front of him willing the time to pass by faster. There were all of two customers, both of them having ordered their beverages and snacks long ago. Yuuri glanced down at the watch on his wrist. Four o'clock on the dot. It had only been an hour.  _Seven more to go._

Chimes tinkled in Yuuri's ears as the doors to the cafe swung open. A man wearing a police uniform (who looked vaguely familiar) was standing there shaking his shoulders free of rain that had accumulated on his coat. Beside him was a young teenager soaked from head to toe and scowling in the man's direction. He began arguing with the older man as they made their way to the counter where Yuuri was stationed. 

"Shit! It's freezing in here!" The teenager growled, running his hands up and down his arms for emphasis. Yuuri looked up to see that the two were standing directly underneath a vent, the boy following Yuuri's eyes. He snapped his head down to lock eyes with Yuuri. 

"Can't you turn that off or something?" The boy snapped. 

"Yuri!"

"...What?" 

The older man had been looking at the younger boy clearly intending to scold him further. He raised an eyebrow trading a confused look with Yuuri. 

"Uh, I was talking to him." He pointed at the teenager. 

"Oh." Yuuri looked to the teen. " _Oh._ " 

Now the short teen in front of him raised an eyebrow at Yuuri, eyeing him like he was a new species and he wasn't sure if he should leave it be or begin dissection. 

"Um, my name is Yuuri too." Yuuri smiled weakly at the two.

The teen scrunched up his nose in a look of pure disgust. "Ew." 

"Yuri." The older man pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a woeful sigh. If this guy's cop thing didn't work out, he certainly had a knack for theatrics. 

"May I take your order?" Yuuri mustered up all his manners, putting on his best polite-but-business smile. 

Yuuri noticed that they ordered three drinks, guessing someone else had not yet arrived.

"Could I get a name for the order?"

"Georgi." The teen was quick to supply a name that was not his own. If Yuuri thought Georgi's first sigh was dramatic, it was nothing compared to the one he offered up now. Yuri smirked in response. As they turned to walk towards an unoccupied table, Yuuri couldn't help but smile at the two. They were certainly an interesting pair. 

Yuuri turned away to begin making the interesting pair's order. Truth be told, Yuuri hated the monotony of the cafe. Even on busy days where time passed by faster, he was confined behind a counter that felt like a jail for eight hours. There was no freedom to be found in making drinks either; they came in one of two ways: so easy to make they were intensely boring in a mundane way or so freakishly complicated Yuuri often wondered what the hell these people were even drinking. The three drinks he found himself preparing now were easy enough, only adding to Yuuri's torture. Don't get him wrong, Yuuri was grateful to have his job at the cafe. Yuur's parents could only send so much money, and he still had another year of college to go before graduation. Celestino was an old friend of Minako Sensei from when she first moved to the United States and had personally recommended Yuuri and Phichit. Yuuri hadn't even filled out an application before Celestino was call him in for an interview. So he was grateful. That didn't mean Yuuri wasn't desperately wishing better spend his time elsewhere, say, the dance studio. 

The door chimed again interrupting Yuuri's ruminations. He glanced over his shoulder to greet the new customer only to find that no one was there.  _Huh._ Maybe it was the missing third person to the odd pair sitting at a corner table on the other side of the cafe. Yuuri finished up the drink order. Normally he would call the customer up to the counter for them to collect their order, but for the sake of some minor freedom Yuuri grabbed a tray to line the drinks up on and walked over to the table where the now three customers sat. 

A flash of sliver hair aligned with Yuuri's vision causing him to nearly stop in his tracks. There sitting at the table next to younger Yuri was the hot cop from last night. Officer Nikiforov. No, Officer Victor. No, just Victor. 

Victor. 

Yuuri's brain was malfunctioning. In the back of his mind, Yuuri wondered how his legs were still working albeit a little slower than usual.  _Executive function,_ his brain unhelpfully supplied.

As if reading his mind, Victor looked up just then.

Electricity was making a shocking pathway up Yuuri's spine. Yuuri was sure he'd been shocked by lightning, and that was just fine. He could be struck by lightning one or a million times if it meant the image of Victor's face right now would be seared into Yuuri's retinas. 

A devilishly handsome smile had crept onto his face, his eyes sparkling in the grim afternoon light.

"Yuuri," Victor said warmly. 

"What?" Young Yuri looked distastefully towards Victor as if he were some kind of inconvenience. Oh poor, poor Yuri. If only he could see Victor through Yuuri's beguiled eyes. 

Yuuri set down the tray he was still hold on a nearby table so that he could point to himself. "Um, it's me this time," Yuuri said sheepishly. 

The boy looked at Yuuri inspecting his face then looked back to Victor accusingly. "You know this pig?" 

Victor responded by lightly smacking Yuri across the back of his head. 

"Now, now. That's not nice and it's entirely untrue," Victor admonished. 

Yuri made a disgruntled sound. "Are you going to give us our drinks or just stand there staring like an idiot?" 

This time Georgi kicked Yuri's shin underneath the table, fixing him with terrifying warning look.  _Yep, he could definitely make a career in theatre._ Yuri yelped and pushed his chair back creating a loud screech as the metal of the chair clashed with the wood floor. Yuuri winced at the sound. He reached for the tray again and began reading off the orders placing each drink in their correct spot. 

Victor's eyes were still on Yuuri, tracking each and every movement like a diligent watchdog. Yuuri swallowed trying to wet his dry throat. He held the empty tray behind his back feeling in knock against his thighs. 

"Enjoy your drinks," Yuuri said meekly. He turned on his heel to quickly walk back to his confined space. When he was about two steps away Yuuri heard another loud screech as a chair yet again moved back against the hardwood floor.  _We really needs to get new chairs,_ Yuuri thought distractedly. Yuuri could hear footsteps following him as he quickened his pace. He finally reached the counter and passed behind it to duck down below the bar, putting the round plastic tray back where it belong. As he was straightening up someone cleared their throat from behind. Yuuri turned slowly around, crossing the short distance to stand near the cash register where Victor was waiting for him. 

"Can I help you?" Yuuri smiled politely at Victor. Yuuri hoped he was smiling politely at Victor since his brain was still not working right.  _Executive_ _function._ Right, that.

Victor grinned mischievously at Yuuri. "I didn't think I would run into you here."

Yuuri laughed nervously.  _Shit! Is that the best you can do brain?_ Yuuri has stopped functioning. 

"And on your birthday too," Victor said a beat later. 

"Oh." Yuuri had completely forgot that it was still technically his birthday. Oh, what a wonderful way to be reminded. Yuuri smiled now, a real, genuine smile at the information Victor had just supplied. Victor had remembered his birthday. They had just met last night, and Victor remembered his birthday. The hot cop. From last night. The hot cop from last night remembered his birthday. 

 _Katsuki Yuuri's brain is currently down for maintenance, return date of function to be determined_. 

"You remembered," Yuuri said dumbly, a goofy smile still present on his face. God, he was fucked. 

Victor laughed, and  _oh_ what a magical sound. Yuuri wanted to choreograph a dance right then and there just to the sound of Victor's laughter. He was totally, completely, irrevocably  _fucked._

"Yeah I did. Are you doing anything special?" Victor was asking now. 

"Uh," Yuuri said, scratching the back of his neck. "I kind of went all out last night. I don't think I  _want_ to do anything special." Yuuri laughed lamely, lifting one shoulder in a half shrug. 

Victor hummed. He was still smiling at Yuuri. Yuuri's brain was still not working. 

Young Yuri called out to Victor then. 

"Oi, get back over here old man!" 

Victor looked back at the boy over his shoulder. "Alright," he called back. 

He turned his head to lock eyes with Yuuri once again, letting out a small sigh. "Guess I'd better get back," he said, jabbing thumb in the general direction of his companions. 

"It was good seeing you," Yuuri said softly. 

Victor nodded his head. "Yeah, you too," he said with a small smile on his lips. If Yuuri's didn't know better, and if his brain were working properly, he would think that Victor looked almost...disappointed. Just as the thought crossed his mind though, Victor's face lit up with excitement. 

"Oh! Wait a second!" Victor held up a finger. He reached into the back pocket of his uniform pulling out a black leather wallet. Victor opened it up, lifting out a small rectangle of white parchment and handing it over to Yuuri. Yuuri took the card to inspect. It was a business card, with a simple and clean design. On it was Victor's name in bold print with an office and cell phone number located right beneath it. Yuuri looked back up at Victor, a question in his eyes and a tilt to his head. 

Victor pointed to the card. "You know, if you ever need anything," he said with a shrug. "Or if you just wanna call." A coy smile tugged at the corners of Victor's pretty pink lips. 

Yuuri laughed, grinning back at Victor. "Yeah, okay."

Victor nodded one last time before giving Yuuri a small wave of the hand and walking back towards his table. 

**[To ChulaDONT]: Destiny is working out for you and me both kid. Your life is no longer in danger.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhh this chapter was so hard to type out. I have an outline for where I want this story to go, and I knew what needed to be written by I was just not motivated.  
> I toughed it out though so here ya go!  
> Hopefully I've delivered!  
> As always thanks for reading and I hope y'all enjoy!  
> Also, let me know what you think! I'm posting this without editing again, because, well.  
> Maybe I should look into a beta?
> 
> Edit: forgot to mention I will be going on vacation for a week (I leave sunday ahhhhh) so there will be no updates next week, but I hope y'all will stick with me :)


	4. Glass cigarettes (aka the slipper)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri's 21st birthday is literally the longest day in his life up until now. His little run-in with Officer Nikiforov isn't over just yet. Yuuri is beginning to wonder if something called fate is at hand.

A meltdown. 

Victor was having a meltdown. An internal one of course, he was still his signature brand of calm and cool on the exterior. Georgi and Yuri were talking about something or other, but he couldn't make himself focus on anything other than the adorable barista behind the counter. It was just his perfect luck that he happened to run into him again. 

_Him._

Yuuri Katsuki, a.k.a the most perfect human being on this planet Earth. Victor felt a sudden sharp pain on his upper arm. He looked down to see slender fingers pinching at his skin through the fabric of his uniform. 

"Ouch," he said flatly, eyeing Yuri. 

Yuri looked back at him with disdain coloring his features, a scowl tugging at his forehead, the corners of his lips downturned into a surly frown. 

"Pay attention," Yuri snapped. 

Victor reached up a hand to grab Yuri's fingers in a crushing grip. He grinned as Yuri yelped, yanking his hand away from Victor's grasp. Victor sighed then shrugging his shoulders. 

"What were you talking about then?" he murmured.

"I was  _saying..._ "

Victor stopped listening immediately. His eyes wandered back to the boy at the register. Yuuri had is chin in a hand that was propped up on the counter, the weight being supported at the elbow. He was careful to keep his gaze out the large windows at the storefront, watching as the rain continued to pour down from the heavens. But, every few minutes or so, his gaze would drift over to where Victor sat. Victor grinned, all dimples, waggling his fingers at Yuuri. A bright red blush quickly spread to Yuuri's cheeks and he ducked his head avoiding Victor's gaze. 

A long drawn out sigh entered Victor's ears and a swift kick to the shin brought him back to reality. 

"Ouch!" He glared at the angsty teenager beside him. "What was that for?"

"You're acting like an idiot!" Yuri screeched, throwing his hands up in the air for added emphasis. "Oh wait, you're not acting!"

With the amount of time that Yuri spent with Victor and Georgi, it was only a matter of time before their own flare for the dramatics assimilated into Yuri's behavior as well. 

"Victor," Georgi said forlornly. 

He looked towards his partner a sour expression on his face. Victor couldn't understand why they were trying so hard to dampen his mood like the soggy earth outside the rain drenched city. Truth be told, Victor couldn't remember the last time something had held his attention for this long. Of course, his hyper fixation this time around came in the form of a (perfect) human being, and not in an activity or book as it so often did. Being in such close proximity to Yuuri, yet being unable to talk or touch or even  _look_ at him for very long without coming of as a creep, what else was Victor supposed to do? How was he supposed to behave in this type of situation? He couldn't even remember the last time he had a crush, let alone genuinely liked someone. 

Meeting Yuuri had been like a godsend. From just their first encounter together he had been enraptured. Victor was so careful not to let anyone see just how numb he had become, how sodden and sad he'd been feeling on the inside for months, no, for  _years._ Yet, one  very drunk, very cute boy was able to see right through him, could tell even through the haze of alcohol that something was  _off_ with him (a complete stranger at the time). Even though Yuuri didn't remember him, even though their second meeting was brief, Victor was certain now that something larger was at hand. How often do things like this occur? Running into each other like this, not once, but  _twice_ now. Victor never truly believed in coincidences, and he wasn't going to start now. 

"Victor," Georgi repeated, waving a hand in front of Victor's face. 

"What?" His voice came out more agitated than he'd intended. Victor sighed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. What did you say?"

Georgi gave him a look, something like sympathy mixed with a strange amusement. "I said we need to get back to the station. Which means we have to drop Yuri off at home." He gave a pointed look to Yuri. 

Yuri huffed and crossed his arms. "Why can't I just go with you guys?"

"Because you need to study," Georgi sighed. "Weren't you the one just telling us that you're struggling in school?"

"Well I was telling  _you_ ," he said pointedly, sending a glare in Victor's direction. Victor simply smiled, lifting a solitary shoulder in a shrug. "Besides, it's not every subject. Just, like, history and math. And it's the teacher anyway! I just don't understand their way of explaining things!" 

"Maybe you should look into finding a tutor?" Victor suggested. 

Yuri scrunched up his face at Victor as if he smelled of milk gone sour. "Why?" 

"I don't know, so you don't fail and have to repeat a grade?" 

"That won't happen," Yuri scoffed. 

Georgi hummed. "Well, it might. Which is why we're taking you home now so you can study." 

With a loud screech, Georgi stood up from his chair with an air of finality, striding towards the exit. He didn't spare a single glance behind him, undoubtedly knowing that Victor and Yuri would begrudgingly follow his lead. As if their minds were somehow connected and their thoughts one singularity, Victor made eye contact with Yuri, a knowing look crossing both of their faces. Victor sighed standing up from his own chair. 

"Come on then, let's go," Victor said, a smile in his voice towards the younger boy. 

Yuri grumbled under his breath, slowly rising from his own chair with leadened legs. Victor wrapped an arm around the boy, guiding him to the storefront. When they reached the door, Victor placed his hand between Yuri's shoulder blades gently pushing him forward. Victor gave one last glance over his shoulder, smiling widely when he found that Yuuri was already looking in his direction. Yuuri straightened his body up from the counter, a dusting of pink spread across his cheeks and nose. Victor raised his free hand in a small wave, Yuuri reciprocating the gesture. 

Grunting, Yuri turned and grabbed Victor's waving hand yanking him out the door. He allowed the boy to tug him towards the patrol car where Georgi was waiting. As they got in the car and drove out of the city heading towards the suburbs, Victor's mind kept wandering to a cute bespectacled boy wrapped in a warm brown apron that perfectly matched his eyes. And he sighed dreamily. 

 

***

 

The ticking of the analog clock on the wall behind him was taunting. It was saying  _time is passing, but I will not tick faster for you boy._ Yuuri glared at the offending object, checking the time on his phone instead for the assurance of the passage of time. His phone screamed at him that it was, in fact, five minutes to closing. Yuuri couldn't wait to get out of his uniform, take a hot shower, and crawl into bed where his dreams would no doubt be filled with wisps of silky silver hair, eyes the color of sea glass embedded into perfect porcelain skin. 

He'd run into him again.

_Him._

Officer Nikiforov. No, Victor. 

_Victor._

Even when saying the name in his head, it came out as an awestruck sigh. Yuuri never really believed in fate, but as he stood in front of the mocking clock watching the seconds, minutes, tick by, his mind wandered to destiny and its reality. He'd run into Victor twice now. When Yuuri saw him sitting at one of the tables in the coffee shop he worked at, Yuuri was positive his mind was playing tricks, creating an elaborate illusion. But, no, Victor had been real and he had remembered Yuuri.  _Oh my God, he remembered me._ Not only did Victor remember Yuuri's face, he'd also remembered it was still technically his birthday.  _Ohmygod he remembered my birthday._ Victor had even asked if Yuuri had any plans, and if Yuuri didn't know any better (which his anxiety told him he did) he would have sworn that Victor looked almost...expectant. As if he-

_No._

Yuuri refused to let his mind go there. He couldn't even begin to imagine that Victor would be even remotely interested in him. If he did, well, then Yuuri might even become. Hopeful. Which he wasn't. Nope. Not hopeful, not even in the slightest. Which is why Victor would only appear in his dreams.

At least that's what Yuuri thought. 

The clock finally struck ten o'clock and Yuuri ripped off his apron in a fervent rush, tossing the garment onto a hook in the storage room. He slung his backpack over his shoulder after digging his keys out. Turning off all the lights, Yuuri hastily made his way out the door. He was eager to make his way home so that he could tell Phichit all about his chance meeting with Victor. Phichit had been blowing up his phone for hours now, ever since Yuuri had first texted him about Victor showing up at the cafe. 

Yuuri walked in clipped steps, coat pulled closely around his body, arms hugging himself in the cold November air. The rain had stopped about an hour before closing, chilling the air into a brisk frost with the gradual lack in humidity. He hated walking home by himself in the city, but his lack of a car dictated how he got around. Downtown was especially creeptastic at night, with its dark alleyways and suspicious eyes looking at him in every possible direction. Lewd hands slipped out and grabbed at his plump behind from time to time, causing Yuuri to quite literally jump out of his skin. Tonight was proving to be one of those nights. 

He listened as steps fell into sync behind him. As soon as Yuuri quickened his pace, the footfalls behind him increased in intensity. The hairs on Yuuri's body stood on end, electrified by anxiety and a growing sense of fear. He didn't dare to look behind him, instead opting to break out into a light jog. The steps didn't fade however, they followed him like a shadow clinging to his body. 

Run.

Yuuri was running, weaving through streets he recognized and some he didn't in an effort to shake whatever parasitic life-form that had attached itself to him. His breath came out in white hot pants, his lungs searing with the effort. Yuuri took a sharp right, finally deigning to glance over his shoulder to see if his shadow was still following closely behind. The sidewalk behind him was blessedly empty so Yuuri slowed his pace. He was still jogging though when he slammed right into a wall of firm flesh. He heard an  _oof_ sound and a splash as something clattered to the ground, right into a puddle. Yuuri stepped back from the person he'd run into, his glasses gone askew. 

"Ah, sorry! I'm so sorry!" Yuuri sputtered. He raised his hands in front of him, simultaneously in defense and in apology.

"Hm, it's okay," the baritone voice muttered. 

Yuuri fixed his glasses, finally chancing a glance at the stranger. Only it wasn't a stranger at all. Yuuri's jaw went slack as he gawked at a disgruntled Victor that stood before him. Victor hadn't taken note of Yuuri just yet, instead looking annoyed at the object that had fallen into the puddle at his feet. Yuuri followed his gaze to find a box of newly opened cigarettes now utterly soaked. There was only one missing from the near-full pack, and Yuuri quickly found it laying in the same puddle next to its companions, a thin wisp of smoke filtering up into the air from a freshly doused ember. Yuuri looked back up at Victor, his lips puckered in a pretty pout, his brow furrowed. 

Yuuri laughed. 

He didn't mean to, not really. But the whole situation was just ridiculous.  _How could this keep happening?!_ Yuuri was sure that something like destiny must exist if he kept meeting Victor like this, and he wasn't entirely opposed to the ever growing notion. So, he laughed. It came out as a sort of bark at first, then he was thrown in a full blown fit of hearty laughter, clutching his sides and bending his body in half with the effort. Victor looked over to him startled by the sudden noise. Then, Yuuri watched as recognition filtered into Victor's eyes. Victor's brow furrowed even more, creating wrinkles between his sculpted brows, pulling lines at his rather large forehead. 

At Victor's increasing silence, Yuuri stifled his laughter and forced his body upright, straightening its bent position. He coughed weakly to cover up the smile still playing at his lips, a hand coming to rest behind his neck pulling down the skin there. 

"Um, sorry. I'm sorry," Yuuri said lamely. He gestured towards the ruined cigarettes. "About that too, sorry for your cigarettes." 

Victor looked from Yuuri to the cigarettes in the puddle and back again. "Oh, don't worry about it," Victor said faintly, waving him off.

He was looking at Yuuri with a curious expression and Yuuri couldn't blame him. Meeting yet again under these circumstances was just plain weird to say the least. In an effort to ease the awkwardness from the situation Yuuri gave Victor a small smile, lifting his shoulder in a shrug; in Yuuri's opinion though (read in Yuuri's anxiety corrupted brain) it only increased the tension that charged between them like a summer lighting storm. 

Yuuri rocked back on his heels, a nervous gesture. He took a moment to assess their surroundings. Somehow in his panicked state, Yuuri had managed to find himself in a back alley off the Main Street behind a convenience store. Yuuri looked back at Victor who was drilling holes into his skull with his intense gaze. 

"Uh, I can buy you a new pack?" Yuuri motioned towards the cigarettes once again. "I mean, if you want." 

"Oh." Victor visibly snapped out of his reverie. " _Oh."_

Victor waved his hand dismissing Yuuri's suggestion. "No, no, you don't have to do that." 

"No, really, it's okay." Yuuri smiled shyly at Victor, already moving towards the shop's back entrance. "I'll be right back okay?" 

 

Five minutes later Yuuri was handing over a plastic bag filled with one cigarette box, a package of strawberry licorice, and some wintergreen gum. 

"Here you go."

Victor's fingers brushed against Yuuri's as he took the proffered bag. A shiver traveled up from the tips of Yuuri's fingers to the top of his head and down to the base of his spine from the contact, sparks charging in the night, leaning his skin on fire. 

"Thanks," Victor said warmly, a kind smile wrapping around his lips. It was infectious and Yuuri couldn't help but find himself returning the gentle expression. 

"Um, you don't have to thank me, it was my fault to begin with." Victor huffed and rolled his eyes at Yuuri. "But, you're welcome," Yuuri conceded, smile shy. 

Victor nodded his head towards Main Street. "Come on, I'll walk you home."

Yuuri took note of Victor's appearance then. It was the first time he hadn't seen Victor in uniform and it was...well it was a sight to behold. His jeans hugged him in all the right, sinful places, his button down shirt clinging to every taught muscle underneath. His knee length coat was stylish, yet practical, as it look as aesthetically pleasing as it did warm. 

"Oh, you're not on patrol tonight?" Yuuri asked dumbly.  _Idiot._ Of course he didn't have patrol tonight. Never mind that he was in casual clothes, but he had offered to  _walk_ Yuuri home not  _drive._

Victor gave a soft smile in response, completely demolishing Yuuri's anxious, self-deprecating thoughts. "No, I'm free tonight."

Yuuri nodded. "Okay then Mr. Police Officer, take me home." 

Victor laughed and Yuuri stored the sound away into his brain space titled  _The Most Breathtaking Sounds on Earth._ They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Victor broke it with a question. 

"So...is everything alright? You ran right into me and you looked kind of spooked."

Yuuri nervously scratched at the back of his next. "Oh. Um. It's kind of dumb." Yuuri glanced up at Victor who was looking back at him in rapt attention, concern etched into his eyes. Yuuri ducked his head in embarrassment as he spat the words out in a rush.

"I thought someone was following me so I just started running but I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going so I looked behind me to see if the person was still behind me and wham!" Yuuri slammed his palms together for emphasis. 

Victor's eyes went wide and he stopped dead in his tracks placing a hand on Yuuri's shoulder to stop him as well.

"That's not dumb. You did the right thing Yuuri," Victor said firmly. He slid his hand down a few inches so as to grasp Yuuri's upper arm in a gentle hold. "There's been a rise in crime lately, so you did the right thing. You should always listen to your instincts because they're usually right." 

Yuuri gulped; his throat felt unbearably dry. Yuuri's mind split itself in half, one part focusing solely at the point of contact between Victor's hand and Yuuri's arm, the other part soaking in Victor's words. Yuuri's hackles had been raised, the alarm in his mind sounding at a loud and persistent rate. He was sure now that he had in fact been followed by someone, and the realization of that brought back a fresh wave of panic and worry that wracked through Yuuri's body. Victor took notice of the subtle yet sure change in Yuuri's behavior. 

"Hey," he said softly. His thumb was rubbing soothing circles into Yuuri's arm, the action stunted by the thick fabric of Yuuri's coat, but reassuring nonetheless. "It's okay,  _you're_ okay." 

Victor retracted his hand to pull out his cell phone from his coat pocket. "You still have that card I gave you?"

Yuuri tilted his head to the side in slight confusion.  _What was he...? Oh!_ He nodded hastily, reaching into his front jeans pocket where the card stock had been folded neatly and stowed away. Victor smiled bright and big. 

"Text me," he said. A look crosses his face, slow and steady and growing. Yuuri tilted his head even more in an exaggerated mimic of his previous actions, trying to place a name to the expression on Victor's face. "So that I have your number." 

Mischievous. That was the look. 

Victor was a devil and Yuuri would gladly rip off his wings and toss aside his good standing in society for a chance to continue interacting with Victor like this; he was sinfully delicious. 

Yuuri returned the smile, humming, then quickly typed in the number from the card into his contacts. He fired of a quick ' _hey'_  then waiting for Victor's phone to chime. It did and Victor grinned dimply. His fingers typed lightning fast on the keyboard then mere seconds later Yuuri's own phone was buzzing again. He furrowed his brow and looked at the screen. 

**[From Victor]: hey ;) mind if i text you after you get home?**

"I don't mind," Yuuri said, ducking his head in an effort to hide the blush creeping onto his cheeks from the depths of his heated blood vessels. Victor's smile widened, crinkling the corners of his eyes. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and Yuuri did the same. 

They continued their way towards Yuuri's apartment. They only had a little ways to go and Yuuri found himself wishing for once that the distance would infinitely spread out before him, never to reach his destination. 

"Oh. Uh, sorry again about the cigarettes," Yuuri said now. He was terrible at communication, but he would be damned if he let this conversation slip through his grasp. "But hey, maybe it's the universe telling you to quit." Yuuri laughed awkwardly.  _Shit! Abort, abort!_

Victor contemplated that, propping an elbow into his hand, a finger coming to rest at his bottom lip. Yuuri watched the motion swallowing around the lump that had taken root in his throat. 

"Maybe," Victor said finally, ultimately dismissing the topic. "So...what is it that you do Yuuri? Besides make yummy coffee." Victor winked at Yuuri and if Yuuri hadn't been determined to keep on living so that he could talk to Victor forever, he would have died right on the spot. 

"Um, I'm a dancer," Yuuri said quietly. 

He didn't like to broadcast his chosen profession. Not that he didn't think he was good, just that he didn't think he was good  _enough._ Yuuri was in his second to last year in college and every day he wondered if he made the right decision. He had chosen to move far away from home in order to chase his dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer, to be hired into a prestigious company. But Yuuri seldom saw improvement in his own work, no matter what Minako Sensei and Madame Baranovskaya said. After all, Yuuri remained and will forever be his own worst critic (and enemy). 

Victor's face brightened at Yuuri's words. Then that same devilishly mischievous look plastered itself across his face again.

"What kind of dancer?" His voice was low, traveling across the barely-there distance between them and reverberating deep within Yuuri's bones. 

Yuuri place a hand over his heart, fixing his features into an affronted look. "Ballet! Get your mind out of the gutter Officer!" 

Victor looked at him sideways, his mouth slanted into a wry smile. "Oh." 

He didn't look like he believed Yuuri one bit. Then a thought struck Yuuri just as they came upon his apartment building. 

"Oh!" Yuuri slung his backpack around, digging through the pockets in search of one object among its many occupants. He pulled a sip of paper out, waving it triumphantly for Victor. "Here! It's a ticket to my next showcase at school. We're putting on a production of the Nutcracker." 

Victor chuckled grabbing the ticket and glancing over the contents. As Victor looked at the ticket Yuuri walked the two steps it took to stand at the base of the short staircase that led to the front door of Yuuri's apartment building. 

"This is me by the way," Yuuri said, glancing over his shoulder to the red door of the entrance. 

Victor carefully folded the ticket, placing it in his jacket pocket. He looked up at Yuuri an unreadable expression on his face. He stepped forward, placing a foot next to Yuuri's on the bottom step. He was close, so impossibly close, and it would be easy, so incredibly easy, for Yuuri to reach out a hand and close the distance between them, to touch his smooth skin, to brush a stray strand of hair behind his ear. Yuuri sucked in a breath of air to quell his raging thoughts, took another step backwards so that he was standing farther over Victor. 

Victor looked at Yuuri like he wanted...something. Yuuri wasn't sure what, but he was sure that he wanted to find out what it was. Before Yuuri could ask though, Victor sighed softly and stepped back onto the sidewalk below. 

"Goodnight Yuuri," Victor said quietly. 

"Goodnight," Yuuri said just as quiet so as not to break the magical spell that had befallen upon them. The air was charged, a shimmering palpable between them, like the world was just  _begging_ for something, anything, to happen. 

Victor smiled again, brighter this time, and Yuuri melted. "Call me if you need someone to walk home with again." 

"Okay," Yuuri whispered. His voice had come out as weak as his legs felt. What was it that this man had over him? 

Maybe he really was the devil. 

Victor nodded then turned and walked away, a soft smile plastered permanently to his mouth. 

Yuuri unlocked the front door, then made his way towards the stairwell that would lead him to the third floor where his apartment was located. He was floating on cloud nine, his legs taking him where he knew he needed to go while his mind strayed to thoughts of Victor. His hands shook and keys clanked together, metal on metal, as Yuuri tried to open the door leading to his sacred place. The tumblers clanked, the lock giving way and granted Yuuri access. Yuuri stepped inside closing the door and locking it behind him, then leaning back against it and sliding to the floor in a gooey puddle, a sigh escaping his lips. 

" _Fuck."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks again for reading, and thanks to those sticking with me through this story! I'm thinking of writing another fic soon, possibly this week, about mafia!yuuri, so be on the look out for that and maybe check it out.  
> as always, please comment as I live for validation!  
> again this is un-edited *sweats nervously* but!! I will go back and read tomorrow most likely for any mistakes that need to be fixed on all chapters.  
> you can find me on tumblr [here](http://thearseinarsenol.tumblr.com)! :)
> 
> **Edit: hahaha well I guess this is why you proofread! apparently I am so bad at writing that I completely overlooked the fact that Victor had given Yuuri his business card in the last chapter :0 so have a freshly edited chapter lol also thanks to the reader who kindly pointed it out (and found humor in the situation although it wasn't intentional I'm not actually that funny)

**Author's Note:**

> Welp. This is my first attempt at fanficiton y'all.  
> This has been sitting on my mind for a while now and I've already changed the story in my head about fifty times so I hope this chapter flows well.  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!  
> Please let me know what you think!


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